In Australia, there has been a growing need for people who work in public health over the past few years. Many universities in Australia have started to offer online degrees in public health. This makes it easy for students to go to school while also taking care of other responsibilities.
In this post, we'll look at the top universities in Australia that offer online public health degree programmes. These universities have a strong reputation for academic excellence and are committed to giving their students the information and skills they need to make a positive difference in the field of public health. With choices like online learning and part-time study, these universities have made it easier for students to get to where they want to be in the public health field. Let's have a look at some of the online public health degree programmes in Australia.
Quick Links To Online Public Health Degrees
University Of New South Wales
Master of Public Health
- 1 Year(s)
- Commencing Terms
Term 1, Term 2, Term 3 - $8,360 - Indicative CSP First-Year Fee
$32,160 - Indicative First Year Full Fee
James Cook University
Master of Public Health
- 1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent
- 36 credit points as per course structure
- $8,975.00+ (estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load) | $27,200.00^ (estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load)
University Of Technology Sydney
Graduate Diploma in Public Health (Online)
- 16 months (minimum)
- 8 study periods
- $3,096 per subject, FEE-HELP available
Victoria University
Graduate Certificate In Public Health
- 8 months part-time (minimum)
- 4 units (7 weeks)
- $3,050 per unit, Commonwealth Supported Places & FEE-HELP available
The University of New South Wales Sydney
Master of Public Health
The degree program offers individuals an opportunity to play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of communities. The Master of Public Health degree is a necessity for a profession in population health, including health promotion, policy development, and population health program planning.
The degree offers an advanced and all-inclusive comprehension of public health practices that prepare students to detect, comprehend, avoid, and contain disease outbreaks in populations. Additionally, students will be equipped with skills to identify and address the social causes of population health disparities to enhance collective health results.
The subjects included in this program mirror the interdisciplinary character of the field, offering students with fundamental abilities in epidemiology, biostatistics, health promotion, qualitative and quantitative research methods, health policy, and health services management. This degree offers both the fundamental abilities necessary for launching a profession in public health and education for public health professionals to progress in their careers.
James Cook University
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health is a degree program that prepares students to address public health issues in tropical Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Graduates will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to develop strategies to detect, prevent, and control communicable and non-communicable diseases. The program covers a wide range of topics such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health promotion, quantitative and qualitative research methods, health policy, and planning and health services management. Students can also choose elective subjects to tailor their degrees to their interests, such as infection prevention and control, environmental health, and health economics.
Upon completing the Master of Public Health program, graduates will be prepared to take on leadership roles in the health sector, applying their specialised skills in human, project, and organisational management to public health and policy contexts. The course is designed in accordance with the core principles of public health as defined by the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions in Australia (CAPHIA).
Students are required to meet the inherent requirements of the course, which are identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated during the learning experience to successfully complete the course.
University of Technology Sydney
Graduate Diploma in Public Health (Online)
The Graduate Certificate in Health Analytics offered by UTS Online is targeted towards individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and expertise in evaluating and utilising healthcare research and data to achieve favourable health outcomes.
The program is completely online and focuses on developing practical skills that can be applied in current positions, as well as preparing graduates for future health-related challenges. The program offers flexibility to customise the learning experience by choosing from a range of advanced electives or a sub-major in leadership and also provides an option to progress to a Master of Public Health with a major in data analytics.
Victoria University
Graduate Certificate In Public Health
With VU Online's unique study model, students can earn their Graduate Certificate in Public Health faster than on campus. This course is designed to provide practitioners who may already be employed in the field of public health, as well as recent graduates, with the foundational knowledge and skills to pursue a career in public health practice.
It covers dimensions of the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of health and integrates the biological basis of health with population-based intervention and policy. The course includes units in public health in practice, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Students have the option to progress to a Master of Public Health upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate.
The online units are designed with a student-centred approach and do not require exams or the purchase of textbooks. The course also provides support 7 days a week and in the evenings, ensuring that students are entirely supported to succeed. VU Online is a member of the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia (CAPHIA), which allows Graduate Certificate in Public Health students access to CAPHIA's suite of benefits, including events and development programs curated for health professionals and researchers within Australasia.
Edith Cowan University
Master Of Public Health
The field of public health has a wide-ranging goal of enhancing and safeguarding the overall health and well-being of the general populace. Public health practitioners can have a significant impact on the lives of local, national, and international communities.
These practitioners assist individuals and communities in gaining more control over their health and well-being and in influencing organisational and political environments in ways that promote better health for all. They work throughout the lifespan, including the early years, child and adolescent health, and healthy aging, in support of population health.
Recognising the breadth of public health, this master's degree program offers a range of elective units that allow students to specialise in an area of interest. Students also collaborate closely with professionals in the public health industry and complete research projects on current issues in public health, culminating in a personal portfolio of evidence to support their transition into the field.
Charles Darwin University
Master of Public Health/Master of Health Research
The double degree of Master of Public Health and Master of Health Research provides students with greater flexibility and career opportunities. This program prepares students to tackle contemporary and future public health issues by providing them with high-level skills in public health and health research. The program is an alternative pathway to Higher Degrees by Research.
Students in this double degree program gain advanced knowledge and skills in health research design and evidence-based practice, as well as the ability to investigate, critique, and respond to real-world population health problems. The program offers unique features, including learning from professionals at the Menzies School of Health Research in the specialist areas of Indigenous health, global health, public health practice, and health research.
Core units of the program cover the essential knowledge and skills of public health and health research, including epidemiology, biostatistics, and research methods. Students learn to analyse and interpret population health information, evaluate and design public health interventions, and formulate evidence-based strategies to address complex health and social issues. The program also covers topics such as health promotion, disease control, health systems, health policy, decision-making, the environment, and sustainable development goals.
Graduates of this program have secured employment in national and international health services and ministries, public health organisations, and universities. They work as public health leaders, program planners, analysts, evaluators, health policy officers, professional practitioners, and health researchers.
The Master of Public Health/Master of Health Research is a two-year double degree program, with specialist electives providing opportunities for students to explore various areas of public health and health research. The research project enables students to plan and implement a substantial research-based project in the public health or health research areas under the supervision of an experienced researcher. The program is delivered externally online, with some units also offered with an internal option. Students who need assistance with academic literacy are encouraged to utilise the University's academic support services.
Australian Catholic University
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health (MPH) program offered by ACU provides graduates with specialised knowledge, skills, and understanding of public health. The program is designed to improve and advance population health and well-being by preparing graduates to practice with a community, national or global focus and an ethical, social justice perspective.
ACU's MPH program offers students an opportunity to develop advanced and specialised knowledge across the discipline of public health. The program emphasises evidence-based practice, rigorous intellectual inquiry, innovation and thought leadership, and effective communication and advocacy skills.
Students can choose to complete their MPH through a Research Pathway, which involves additional research training and completion of a minor thesis, or a Capstone Pathway, which requires a capstone experience such as a practice-based project. The program also provides elective units and a specialisation option for students to choose from.
Federation University
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health program has a strong focus on research, providing professionals from different backgrounds with advanced skills to pursue a career in public health. During the first year, students develop a conceptual understanding of public health and research. In the second year, they choose one of the five specialisations to pursue their individual interests:
- Research Pathway - focuses on a research topic of interest that is important to public health. Students develop in-depth knowledge of research methods and practical skills for conducting small-scale research under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
- Project Pathway - provides students with a deeper understanding of the design and implementation of public health projects. They learn theoretical concepts and practical skills for designing and implementing a public health project of their choice under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
- Public Health Informatics - explores the application of data and technology for public health practice and research. Students develop in-depth knowledge of theoretical concepts and practical skills for conducting small-scale research on public health informatics under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
- Public Health Economics - advances students' skills in the analysis of healthcare costs, cost-effectiveness/resource utilisation, and health economics for public health practice and research. They develop in-depth knowledge of theoretical concepts and practical skills for conducting small-scale research on public health economics under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
- Health System Management - examines human experiences in healthcare settings, including professional, ethical, social justice, political, consumer considerations, and leadership roles, and applies these to public health practice and research. Students develop in-depth knowledge of theoretical concepts and practical skills for conducting small-scale research on health system management under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
Torrens University Australia
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health program is designed to enhance the skills of health professionals and prepare them to tackle public health challenges on a global scale. Students will gain knowledge and strategies for disease prevention and health promotion. This course also aims to develop leadership skills in the field of public health, enabling graduates to address complex issues at an international level.
The Master of Public Health is available as a double degree, offering the option to also complete a Master of Business Administration or a Master of Global Project Management. This program is suitable for health professionals from diverse backgrounds who want to acquire advanced knowledge and skills in addressing public health issues locally and globally. The course covers various topics such as global and environmental health issues, health policy, economics, social and cultural determinants of health, and ethical practices.
The University of Newcastle Australia
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health is a one-year postgraduate program that aims to provide students from diverse educational backgrounds with a broad introduction to public health, along with the skills and knowledge to define and resolve public health issues within a community. This program is designed to cater to individual career goals and is ideal for those seeking to change their career direction or upskill for a promotion.
The degree features applied education tools and expert industry-engaged academics, offering students an understanding of contemporary public health issues and practical techniques for analysing and evaluating such problems on a global scale.
The program offers both online and on-campus options and includes core courses for gaining essential skills, along with electives for exploring personal interests. Students who work in relevant public health jobs can also incorporate workplace-related learning and research projects into their studies.
Griffith University
Master of Public Health
The program offered provides an opportunity for professionals in the field of public health practice, research, and management to advance their careers. It enables them to shift their focus from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion. This program is widely recognised nationally and internationally as a credential for public health careers.
The program emphasises the socio-ecological model of public health that analyses the crucial interactions between the social, biological, economic, and environmental determinants of health. Participants can apply this analytical skill set to plan, implement and evaluate interventions for population-based health protection and promotion.
The program has a significant international health focus and allows participants to select electives from a wide range of areas, such as public health nutrition, health promotion, climate change, international health, environmental health, and health services management, to tailor their public health studies.
Yes, many universities offer online public health degree programs that allow students to complete coursework from anywhere with an internet connection. Online programs offer flexibility for working professionals or those who are unable to attend classes on campus.
The length of time it takes to complete a public health degree depends on the level of degree pursued. A Bachelor of Public Health typically takes four years to complete, while a Master of Public Health can take one to two years. Doctoral degrees can take four to six years to complete.
Public health focuses on the health of populations, while medicine focuses on the health of individuals. Public health addresses the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to disease, while medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of individual patients.
A public health degree is not always necessary for a career in healthcare, but it can provide a strong foundation for individuals who are interested in public health initiatives, healthcare administration, or health policy.
Coursework in public health degree programs may include topics such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and management, environmental health, behavioural science, and global health.